Leveraging Solar & Storage Solutions for Communities in Crisis

In this episode of Good Energy, Will Heegard, the Co-Founder and Director of Operations at the Footprint Project, discusses the organization’s work and how solar and storage respond to natural disasters.

Heegard begins by telling the story of Footprint’s response to the Maui wildfires. Without having to put a single boot on the ground, Footprint was able to coordinate the donation of home batteries from SEIA member Sunrun and installation services from others in order to set up microgrids for people on Maui to obtain electricity.

Heegard explains that when the grid goes down in a disaster, the options for receiving backup power are incredibly limited. Without solar microgrids, gas generators are the only way to provide power, which creates further supply chain and health issues.

The Footprint Project takes a very practical approach to providing energy in the wake of a disaster—the priority is to deliver any available energy to people that need it. When Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina, a shelter providing power for medically necessary devices faced uncertainty in receiving gas. Heegard’s definition of resilience is having multiple sources of access—having solar and storage as an option along with other energy sources can be the difference between life and death.

Offering advice to local communities preparing for the future, Heegard suggests learning from previous successes and failures in disaster response and remaining open-minded to many ideas. Everyone is on the frontline of disaster response, and preparation is necessary to ensure no disaster in America becomes a tragedy.

Heegard concludes by discussing the various ways one can assist in the wake of a natural disaster, with cash being the most helpful tool. You can donate to the Footprint project on their website.

From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy, tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar. Listen to full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.